Description
These lemon blueberry scones are soft, buttery, and bursting with flavor. Made with fresh blueberries and a bright lemon glaze, they’re perfect for brunch.
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (293 g) all-purpose flour (spooned into measuring cup and leveled if not weighing)
- 1/3 cup (70 g) granulated sugar, plus more for topping
- 2 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. table salt
- 5 tablespoons (71 g) unsalted butter, cold and cut into small cubes
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (from about 1-2 lemons)
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup heavy cream (plus more if needed)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen, see notes)
Lemon Glaze
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. lemon juice
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Cut in the butter. Add the cold butter to the flour mixture. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Slowly add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring gently with a fork or spatula until combined. If the dough is very dry and crumbly, add a splash more cream (1 tablespoon at a time).
- Fold in the blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to overmix.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 15 minutes.
- Portion and shape. Gently transfer the dough to a floured surface. With floured hands, shape into a round disc, about 1- 1 1/2 inches tall and 7-8 inches in diameter. Use a bench scraper or a sharp chef’s knife to cut into 8 equal wedges.
- Transfer scones to the baking sheet, spaced evenly apart.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and the scones feel set but soft when pressed gently in the center. A toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center of the scone.
- Transfer the scones to a wire rack and let cool for 5-10 minutes before serving. They’re best slightly warm.
- While scones are cooling, mix glaze ingredients. In a small bowl, stir together powdered sugar and lemon juice until smooth. Drizzle glaze over scones while they are cooling.
Notes
Butter: The butter needs to stay cold so the scones don’t spread. Avoid using your hands to scrape off the pastry cutter; use a butter knife, or the butter will warm up.
Storage: These scones are best the day they’re made, when the exterior is lightly crisp, and the inside is still warm and tender. Once fully cooled, store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Reheat in a 350°F oven for just a few minutes to revive them.
Ingredients: Both fresh and frozen blueberries work in this recipe – no need to thaw frozen ones first. Fresh berries stay more distinct in the dough, while frozen berries give a more tie-dyed, distributed blueberry flavor. Either is delicious.
Prep ahead: You can mix the dough, shape the scones, and refrigerate overnight before baking. The shaped, unbaked scones also freeze beautifully – see FAQs below.
Tools: A pastry cutter is the right tool for cutting butter into the dough; it keeps everything cold and does the job quickly. If you don’t have one, you can grate frozen butter and then stir in the shreds to the dry ingredient mixture. A microplane or fine grater is the easiest way to get clean lemon zest.
Serve with: These scones are made for a cup of coffee or tea. They’re also lovely as part of a larger brunch spread alongside a Breakfast Charcuterie Board or Bagels and Lox.